The Google Nexus 6P is uncluttered, stylish and powerful.
In the Android space, Google’s Nexus phones have long had their particular niche carved out. They’re not the most expensive Android handsets you can buy, but they’re usually very good value for the asking price, and the appeal of a clean Android device with no clutter and the latest version of Android delivered direct from Google itself is also a big plus.
Google doesn’t make its own hardware, instead partnering with various manufacturers to produce Nexus-branded devices. This year’s Nexus phones are the Nexus 5X, produced by LG, and the Nexus 6P, which is a Huawei device. The Nexus 6P's outright pricing runs to $899 (32GB), $999 (64GB) and $1099 (128GB) with general availability in Australia on November 3.
Here are the basic specifications of the Nexus 6P:
Nexus 6P
Screen size
5.7in
Storage
32GB, 64GB or 128GB
Weight
178g
Processor
Snapdragon 810 64-bit
Rear camera
12.3MP
Front camera
8MP
Battery
3,450 mAh
Resolution
2560 x 1440
Display density
518ppi
Purchase
Buy now on Kogan
Upsides: Why you’d want the Nexus 6P
Solid performance. The Nexus 6P’s combination of a Snapdragon 810 processor with 3GB of RAM gives it plenty of performance upside. To give that some practical numbers, using Geekbench 3’s tests, the Nexus 6P scored a very healthy 1251/4597 in the single core and dual core tests respectively. Here’s how that compares to a range of current handsets.
Handset
Geekbench 3 Single Core (higher is better)
Geekbench 3 Multi Core (higher is better)
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
1492
4893
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge
1324
4626
Google Nexus 6P
1251
4597
Samsung Galaxy S6
1347
4569
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
2491
4391
Google Nexus 5X
1188
3198
OS updates Android operating system fragmentation is a real pain, but Google’s Nexus handsets dodge that with the first updates for Nexus devices when they’re ready to go. The other positive aspect here is that the version of Android on Nexus is absolutely plain vanilla Android, which means if you’re a tinkerer who wants your smartphone exactly your way, there’s no vendor bloatware getting in your way. Even if you don’t want to change a thing, having the latest optimised Android experience means everything’s fast and easy to access.
Good battery life Running a 5.7 inch 2560 x 1440 pixel display could be quite power sapping, but the Nexus 6P’s 3,450 mAh battery is a good performer. In ad-hoc testing we were easily able to get a full day’s performance out of the Nexus 6P, and with careful management two days is entirely feasible.
In more controlled testing, using Geekbench’s Battery Test routine with the screen dimmed, the Nexus 6P managed 6:39:20 before shutting down for an overall battery score of 3754. Again, to give that some context, here’s how that shapes up for the same test across other popular handsets.
Handset
Geekbench 3 Battery Test Duration
Geekbench 3 Battery Score
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
8:24:10
5041
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
7:48:10
4681
Samsung Galaxy S6
6:51:30
4115
Google Nexus 6P
6:39:20
3754
The Nexus 6P supports rapid charging through its USB-C charger, and while that’s rapidly becoming a common feature for premium handsets, it’s still impressive to grab a couple of extra hours of useful battery life from only a few minutes of charge.
Stylish design: This is a slightly subjective factor, obviously, but what’s different with the Nexus 6P -- especially distinct from the Nexus 5X -- is that where previous Nexus handsets tended towards a bland plastic style, the aluminium body of the Nexus 6P gives it the premium look that you’d expect at this price point.
Great fingerprint scanner: The fingerprint scanner on the rear of the Nexus 6P has its own little recessed groove, so it’s easy to find. Response is ridiculously fast for unlocking, as is enrolling new fingerprints. One word of caution; it’s entirely feasible, as we discovered in our testing, to inadvertently unlock the Nexus 6P by pulling it out of your pocket if your enrolled finger brushes over the sensor on the way.
Good Camera: The camera aspect of previous Nexus devices has never been anything worth shouting about, but that's changed. The Nexus 6P shoots generally clear and sharp stills and video, with fast unlocking direct to the camera via a double tap of the power button. DXO rated the Nexus 6P amongst the very best smartphone cameras available right now, and our own testing backs that up.
Downsides: Why you might not want the Nexus 6P
Vanilla Android is vanilla: Bloatware is annoying, but the flipside of no preinstalled apps is no freebies. Some comparable handsets, especially Samsung ones, often have free apps or service subscriptions bundled.
The Nexus 6P fingerprint scanner is located on the rear of the phone, but it's easy to find with your finger, and fast to respond.
USB C charging is tricky: It’s always tough being an early adopter. Just as early Lightning-equipped iPhone users struggled with chargers, the Nexus 6P’s use of USB-C as its charging port means that all your friends and co-worker’s chargers won’t easily work with the Nexus 6P unless you invest in a secondary USB-C to USB-A type cable.
No expandable storage: Again, this is common across a lot of metal body handsets this year, although HTC’s One M9 has shown that it’s possible to add microSD storage to this kind of design.
Who is it best suited for? What are my other options?
The Nexus 6P has obvious appeal if you’re a hardcore Android fan, simply because it’s running the latest version of Android, and will for the expected life of the device. It’s also a solid option if you want a phone that skips the bloatware that infests so many other premium handsets.
Android especially is awash with premium devices that compare well with the Nexus 6P, with Samsung’s range of larger screened devices such as the Galaxy Note 5 or Galaxy S6 Edge+, although they will typically cost you a little more than the Nexus 6P. LG’s G4 handset is generally priced at a similar level to that of the Nexus 6P, and has a great camera on board if that matters to you. On the wider smartphone front, there’s always Apple’s large screened iPhone 6S Plus.
Where can I get it?
If you want to buy on contract, You can check out our rundown of Nexus 6P specific plans here.
If you’re keen to compare how the Nexus 6P stacks up against other handsets, why not use our comprehensive comparison tool, which can also tell you whether you'll be better off with a contract deal or an outright buy.
The post Google Nexus 6P review: A clean premium Android device appeared first on finder.com.au.